Dem. Rep. of Congo, Africa

DRC03c - LASI

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Key Partnership Information:

• Partnership Ref.: DRC03c

• Commenced: 25/08/2019

• Funding Status: Partially Funded

• Partnership Type: Humanitarian

• Funding Size: $8,000 - $14,999

• Annual Budget: US$ 8,800

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Current Partnership Impact:

• 600 families are being assisted

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Other Partnership Information:

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Partnership Overview

LASI was established in 1991 when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was in full cry. Pastor Bingi was just a young man and, in his ministry met many people experiencing such trauma because of their circumstances that they were in no position to hear the good news he preached to them. He therefore determined that he had to become more closely involved with people to be able to deliver the words of life so he established LASI to advocate for people and help them.

In more recent years the escalation of internal conflict has seen the influx of hundreds of thousands of people into Bunia. All of them displaced, many injured and all with trauma. Since 2015 the population of Bunia has risen from 700,000 to 1,000,000 people, many of them driven there by rebel activity. 

LASI has an office on the back corner of the Bunia Hospital and there is a constant stream of people from the IDP camp coming to ask for assistance accessing medical treatment. Pastor Bingi has nothing but does what he can to advocate for these people. He has an agreement with the hospital that if he gives the people a certain form he will pay for their care but, with the recent influx of people to the camp, he has over-reached himself. He is an incredibly compassionate man who is under pressure and often in tears about other’s circumstances. His faith has relieved the fear and concern of others but 150 people’s accounts have not been paid and he cannot help any more people until the hospital debt is cleared (around US$10k). 

Since January 2019 about 8,000 people have come into the IDP camp, about half of them in May 2019, and they are still coming. Pastor Bingi’s greatest concern currently is the pregnant women and children in the camp. They are very vulnerable and need a lot of help and support. 

History of Partnership

In 2018 BHW sent funds to Rehema Ministry (DRC03) to help with the influx of people into Bunia from surrounding districts because of the internal conflict. Many pregnant women were assisted. Our partners in Bunia, George and Jacqueline Atido, decided to deliver the assistance through a local NGO named LASI. As they were dealing with Pastor Bingi they realised that he was severely hampered in his work as he had no computer. Everything was written by hand and to find information and get reports it was virtually impossible so they used some of the funds sent to buy him a computer. 

BHW's New Partnership Facilitator visited DR Congo in early 2019 and as part of his visit with George and Jacqueline they introduced him to Pastor Bingi. Subsequent to this visit a decision was made to commence partnering with Pastor Bingi.  

Beneficiaries

The numerous incredibly vulnerable people currently living in the Bunia IDP camp who require medical treatment.  

What We Like About The Partnership

Pastor Bingi has a good reputation in the community and is very well respected.
These people are incredibly vulnerable, have experienced unimaginable trauma and desperately need help.  

 

Key People

Leadership Profile

Pastor Bingi Simbuso Ignace is married to Ruth and they have seven adult children. Three have studied at Shalom Christian University and one is currently on the staff there. He is from the Communité Emmanuel, the Christian brethren. 

Bingi has built up a good reputation in the community as a man who can help and who makes things happen. He was recently chosen to represent all the churches in the area as the coordinator of all religious bodies. This is an important role as Ebola begins to raise its head in that area. Many communities are resistant to anyone coming in to tell them anything. The churches are often the main gathering point for people so his role is to encourage the church leaders to let the Ebola sensitizers come into the community and to train and talk to the people. This has been the major issue facing those trying to deal with this epidemic. 

 

Vision And Annual Strategy

To provide medical assistance to trauma affected people living in the Bunia IDP camp in addition to sharing the love of Christ with these people. 

In addition to providing some funds to help clear the hospital debt, BHW has committed to providing $670/month to enable Pastor Bingi to continue providing medical assistance. There is the faint hope that within a year or two this region will become more stable and people will be able to leave the IDP camp and resettle. 

 

Personal Testimony

Real "Life Change" Stories

As BHW's New Partnership Facilitator was sitting in Pastor Bingi's office three young men came. The sister of one of them had died giving birth, the other was the brother of the woman’s husband. The husband had run away when the situation became bad. They don’t know where he is. They live in the IDP camp and have no money. Another man ran into the room asking for help as a family member had just arrived with a machete wound. These are the situations Pastor Bingi is faced with every day.